Biography
W.G. Fay (1872–1947) was an Irish actor and theatre producer. Born William George Fay in Dublin, he trained and worked initially in touring companies before forming, with his brother Frank, W. G. Fay's Irish National Dramatic Company. The brothers were instrumental in founding the Abbey Theatre in 1904 and in developing its distinctive acting style.
After leaving the Abbey in 1908, Fay worked in the United States and later in London, appearing on stage and in films from the 1930s onwards. His screen roles include Michael Cassidy in Storm in a Teacup (1937), Father Tom in Carol Reed's Odd Man Out (1947) and the Bookseller in David Lean's Oliver Twist (1948). He published a memoir, The Fays of the Abbey Theatre, in 1935. He was married to the actress Brigit O'Dempsey.
